1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of hair removal, and more particularly to a method of hair removal which involves the sequential application of an electrolytic procedure followed by a thermolytic procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people suffer from unwanted hair growth on their face or their body. While some depilatories and laser hair removal treatments offer temporary relief, various other techniques have been developed in an effort to provide for permanent hair removal. In general, these techniques have proved to be either painful, or ineffective in producing permanent hair removal.
Techniques for permanent hair removal generally fall into one of three categories: electrolytic, thermolytic, or a blend of electrolytic and thermolytic techniques. As used in the present application, the term xe2x80x9celectrolyticxe2x80x9d, as applied to a method of hair removal, refers to a technique in which a galvanic or direct current (dc) is directed to the papilla of a hair in order to initiate a chemical reaction in which water and salt in the cell tissue surrounding the hair follicle are electrolyzed, so that sodium hydroxide is formed. The sodium hydroxide, being caustic, destroys the papilla, resulting in permanent hair removal.
As used in the present application, the term xe2x80x9cthermolyticxe2x80x9d refers to a method of permanent hair removal in which a high frequency, or radio frequency (RF), current is applied to the hair or hair follicle. The RF current generates heat, which destroys the hair follicle.
As used in the present application, the xe2x80x9cblendxe2x80x9d refers to a method of permanent hair removal which involves the simultaneous application of the electrolytic and thermolytic methods. This may be accomplished by modulating an RF current on a direct current bias.
Several devices illustrate variations on one or more of these methods. U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,363, issued May 22, 1979 to Letchworth et al., describes a machine which provides a constant direct current to a plurality of filament (wire needle) electrodes, regardless of the electrical load. The machine is also capable of providing pulsed direct current, or of reversing the polarity of the direct current. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,709, issued Jul. 8, 1986 to Smith et al., discloses a machine which is capable of delivering either a direct current only, a high frequency RF current only, or a blend of galvanic and RF current through a wire needle probe. U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,717, issued Apr. 18, 1989 to J. M. M. Wehrli, teaches a barbed needle which can be used with either the electrolytic, thermolytic, or blend methods.
The foregoing patents have described devices which use an invasive technique for permanent hair removal, i.e., they all involve the insertion of a needle through the skin closely adjacent the hair follicle. Several patents describe devices directed towards non-invasive techniques for hair removal.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,927, issued Jan. 2, 1959 to E. M. Fozard, describes a method of hair removal which uses an RF current directed through a pair of tweezers which are used to grasp the hair to be removed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,474, issued Dec. 12, 1985 to Chalmers et al., teaches an epilation method which involves applying one, or preferably two, wetting fluids to the skin surrounding the hair, the wetting solutions having an ionic activity equivalent to at least 25 ppm sodium chloride in water, followed by applying an RF current to the hair through tweezers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,369, issued Jun. 25, 1991 to H. L. Cole, discloses an electrolytic method of hair removal which involves applying a saline type electrode solution comprising 85% glycerin, 14% water, 0.5% salt, and 0.5% copper sulphate to the hair, and then applying a direct or galvanic current to the hair through tweezers. A series of patents issued to T. L. Mehr, Sr., and to Mehr et al., including U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,332, issued Nov. 28, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,738, issued Feb. 9, 1999, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,076, issued May 16, 2000, teach techniques for removing multiple hairs simultaneously using either electrolytic, thermolytic, or blend techniques. The ""332 patent teaches application of a multiple layer material, including a nonconductive adhesive layer against the skin, a conductive adhesive layer above the first layer, and a structural layer above the conductive layer. The ""738 patent adds disclosure concerning wetting the hair with a liquid solution and using a comb to remove, multiple hairs. The ""076 patent describes a conductive layer which also includes a cold wax material.
International Hair Removal System, Inc. of Southern Pines, N.C., markets Transdermal Electrolysis machines, originally based on the ""369 patent issued to Cole, discussed above. The manual for the device has been changed to indicate the device comes with a cotton swab probe holder. The manual describes a revised procedure in which the area is pretreated with an electrode gel (presumably the same gel described in the Cole patent) for five to ten minutes, depending on skin color. The gel is wiped off and the skin is dried, then the gel is applied in xc2xc inch circles separated by xc2xc inch. A cotton swab probe dipped in water is applied to barely touch the skin without moving the probe while a direct current is applied through the probe. The treatment is repeated twice for each circle, the gel is removed, and a tweezers is used to manually grasp and remove the hair. The Transdermal Electrolysis manual does not teach the use of silver/silver chloride electrode gel, nor sequentially treating the hair with a thermolytic method. 
Removatron International of Boston, Mass. markets a thermolytic machine which supplies an RF current applied through tweezers. The manual teaches cleaning the area with alcohol, applying a wet towel to the area for 30-60 seconds to soften the skin, drying the skin, and using tweezers to grasp the hair while applying RF current, then pulling the tweezers to remove the hair.
Global Electrolysis Supply of Canada provides both high and low viscosity silver/silver chloride gels, as well as a stylet holder and probe stylet for use with their Aavexx model Transdermal Electrolysis machines. According to the Transdermal Tutorial web pages published, at least on Jan. 3, 2003, at http://www.global-electrolysis-supply.com, Global Electrolysis teaches the use of a low frequency (xcx9c60 Hz) current of 2,500 to 5,000 xcexca at xcx9c115V.
It is noted that recent studies have cast doubt on the efficacy of the use of tweezers for permanent hair removal. Early theory suggested that a current applied through the tweezers would travel down the hair to the papilla, where the electrolytic chemical reaction would take place. However, in Hair Conductivity Tests conducted by R. A. Fischer Co. Mar. 17-26, 1998 and reported at www.rafischer.com/hairtest.htm, test results show that hair is a non-conductor. The reference suggests that methods which employ tweezers are only effective if a suitable electrolyte gel is applied to the hair fiber.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a method of hair removal solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The method for hair removal of the present invention applies an electrolytic procedure, followed sequentially by a thermolytic procedure. The electrolytic method involves preparing the area to be treated by allowing silver/silver chloride gel to remain on the area for a period long enough to allow the electrolyte gel to diffuse through the skin, then applying a cotton swab to a galvanic probe and swabbing circles of the electrolyte gel about the treatment area while applying galvanic current for two passes about the area. Then the hair is grasped by tweezers before removing the electrolyte gel from the area, and an RF current is applied through the tweezers for twenty to twenty-five seconds while gently pulling the hair.
In performing the method, the electrolyte is chosen for high conductivity. A silver/silver chloride gel has been found to be effective. The gel should be allowed to diffuse through the skin for a period which is long enough to allow the gel to penetrate to the papilla. Prior methods have been ineffective, in part, for failure to allow sufficient time for transport of the electrolyte to the papilla. Immediately prior to application of the galvanic probe, the gel should be applied to the area in xc2xcxe2x80x3 circles separated by about xc2xcxe2x80x3, and a swab moistened with the gel is applied to the galvanic probe. The swab is used to massage each circle with a circular motion, in turn, while applying the galvanic current, then the swab is applied to each circle in the same fashion for a second time. On the first pass, water and salt near the hair undergo electrolysis to form sodium hydroxide. Any remaining water in the follicle is drawn out to dilute the sodium hydroxide, but this additional water is electrolyzed to form additional sodium hydroxide on the second pass, the increased concentration of sodium hydroxide helping to ensure destruction of the papilla.
Subsequent treatment with RF current applies heat to ensure destruction of the follicle. The remaining electrolyte on the hair and diffused through the skin ensures conduction of the current to the papilla, so that heat is generated in the tissue adjacent the papilla for destruction of the papilla and permanent hair removal. The entire procedure is noninvasive, thereby eliminating the pain associated with prior electrolytic and thermolytic methods which required the use of needles. The sequential application of the electrolytic and thermolytic methods has been found to be more effective that electrolytic methods alone, thermolytic methods alone, or simultaneous blending of electrolytic and thermolytic methods.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a method for permanent hair removal which is more effective than conventional methods of permanent hair removal through the sequential application of electrolytic and thermolytic methods.
It is another object of the invention to provide an effective, noninvasive method for permanent hair removal in order to avoid pain associated with epilation methods which involve the use of needles.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for permanent hair removal which makes effective use of an electrolytic gel for both electrolytic and thermolytic processes by providing sufficient time for the electrolyte to diffuse through the skin to the papilla.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for permanent hair removal which employs a silver/silver chloride electrolyte in both electrolytic and thermolytic procedures for improved conductivity.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.